


drunk in love

by jugheadsucks



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Fluff and Angst, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 00:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12971391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jugheadsucks/pseuds/jugheadsucks
Summary: He sat up and grabbed his phone off his bedside table, answering it without even checking who was calling.“What?” he said, as angrily as he could after just having woken up. The person on the other end was silent for a few seconds.“Hey Eds,” Richie said quietly. Eddie sighed. He was definitely drunk and Eddie did definitely not have the time or patience for this right now.“What the fuck do you want Richie? It’s god knows what time in the fucking morning.”“I just need to talk to you. I really need to talk to you,” Richie replied.Richie drunk dials Eddie and tells him he loves him, and neither of them know where to go from there.





	drunk in love

**Author's Note:**

> hey! this is the first It fic i’ve ever written so i would v much appreciate ur Thoughts and Advice and What Not!!
> 
> the title is taken from the Beyonce song!! #eddieisabeyoncestan
> 
> also, just some context! the losers didnt all grow up together, Eddie, Richie and Bill grew up in Derry, Ben and Bev grew up togther somewhere unknown ?? and Mike and Stan gew up together in New York!
> 
> i love u all, i hope u enjoy it!! ❤️

Eddie was annoyed before he was even fully awake and he was pretty sure that was a first.  
His phone continued to blare no matter how hard he tried to ignore it and just as he was about to reach out and answer it, it silenced. He sighed and rolled over, hoping to find sleep again soon.  
His luck just kept getting worse though, because the universe was playing some kind of cosmic joke on him and barely two seconds had passed before his phone began to ring again.  
He sat up and grabbed his phone off his bedside table, answering it without even checking who was calling.  
“What?” he said, as angrily as he could after just having woken up. The person on the other end was silent for a few seconds.  
“Hey Eds,” Richie said quietly. Eddie sighed. He was definitely drunk and Eddie did definitely not have the time or patience for this right now.  
“What the fuck do you want Richie? It’s god knows what time in the fucking morning.”  
“I just need to talk to you. I really need to talk to you,” Richie replied. His voice sounded small and it concerned Eddie a little, reminding him of the rare but there occasions when Richie would break down and cry in Eddie’s arms until exhaustion took over.  
Richie never talked about it once it was over.  
“Can it not wait until tomorrow?” Eddie asked and it came out sounding harsher than he meant it to.  
“It’s just, I’m tired Rich,” he continued, feeling a twinge of guilt, “and I have an early class tomorrow.” There was silence for a few more seconds than Eddie was comfortable with and, despite his best intentions, he found himself wishing Richie had just fallen asleep.  
“It can’t wait, I can't wait any more Eddie. I can't keep pretending.”  
“Pretending like what?” Eddie asked, confused and frustrated in equal measure.  
“Like I’m not in love with you. Because I am Eddie, and I have been for… how long have we known each other? That long.”  
Eddie’s breathing stopped just as his heart went into overdrive. It was like an ocean ripped out through his chest and poured down into his body and now he was drowning, drowning in everything he’d ever wanted. Richie, the boy who stole his heart on a soft summer’s night when they were fifteen, had just told him he loved him. He sat there, frozen on the outside, storm raging on the inside, and listened to Richie’s quiet breathing on the other end of the line.  
“I love you,” Richie said again, so quietly, and Eddie’s heart shimmered in his chest.  
“Richie, if this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny,” Eddie replied, tears blossoming in his eyes no matter how hard to tried to stop them.  
“It’s not a joke Eds, I promise. I just needed you to know, I’m sorry I, I didn’t know it would upset you.” Eddie had never heard Richie sound like this. He sounded gentle and afraid and yet defiant and it made Eddie’s chest feel warm.  
“It didn’t upset me. I-I love you too.” He bit his lip, the reality of finally having said it out loud almost too much to take. He heard Richie’s sharp intake of breath.  
“You do? Oh god Eddie, I’m sorry, I love you, I’m so sorry.”  
“Hey, Richie, don’t be sorry. You should sleep, can we talk tomorrow?” Eddie replied, not voicing the ‘if you even remember this’ out loud, but thinking it nonetheless.  
“Yeah, tomorrow. Goodnight Eds. I love you.”  
“Goodnight Richie,” Eddie said before hanging up and finally letting the tears fall.

***

The next morning, Eddie skipped his 9am class for the first time since he’d started college last September. Instead, he lay in bed and listened to every song he could think of that Richie had every played him. He didn’t know why, but he just wanted to feel like he had a piece of Richie with him, even if he would never actually have the boy himself.  
He’d convinced himself Richie would not remember the conversation they’d had last night, or all the things he’d said, no matter how much he wanted to wish he had.  
He didn’t hear from Richie all morning.  
The music wasn’t all his kind of thing, but nothing Richie liked ever was. It was mostly grunge and alt rock, with some new wave and heavy metal thrown in for good measure. Bev liked to joke that Richie’s music taste had never gotten past 1999, but there was some modern stuff Eddie could remember him playing.  
He didn’t know why he was wallowing like this, or if he even had anything to wallow over, but his chest hurt in a way he couldn’t ignore and for once in his life, he indulged it. He gave up on his responsibilities for a little while and just… wallowed. He bathed in the sounds of Richie and tried to convince himself it was enough.  
His roommate, Mark, had been looking at him weirdly all morning until he left for his class, but Eddie didn’t have the energy to deal with that right now.  
He’d agreed to meet the gang for lunch at the diner off campus so he got up eventually and made himself look fairly presentable. He hoped that things wouldn’t be too weird with Richie, but just the thought of seeing him made his stomach hurt, so he tried not to think about it.  
He left his dorm and made the short walk to the diner, not listening to music for once to try and clear his head. It was early March and it was definitely getting warmer, Eddie could feel the Spring in the air and he longed for Summer, his favourite season. He knew it wouldn’t be long before he was heading home with Richie and Bill and spending the long summer days with them exploring Derry like it was the Amazon fucking rainforest, just like when they were younger.  
He wished, briefly, that they could be kids again. He wished it could be easier.

He opened the door to the diner and saw Bev waving at him from a booth in the corner. He half-waved back and walked over the table which his six best friends were seated around.  
Eddie liked Bev. She was the first person he and Bill and Richie actually spoke to when they got to college. She was kind and funny and caring and Eddie knew she would do anything for any of them. She was also the last person sat at that table Eddie would cross, because she could kick all kinds of ass if she needed to. She had very quickly become good friends with Richie and Eddie had twinged with jealousy until he found out that Bev was a lesbian. He had felt really stupid after that.  
Bev’s best friend was Ben, but they were more like siblings than friends. Ben was one of Eddie’s best friends too, he like to be around him, he was calming and yet still fun and he constantly made Eddie smile. There was a warmth that surrounded Ben, one which he spread to others, that Eddie both envied and admired.  
Then there was Mike and Stan, the New Yorkers. Mike was quite possibly the kindest person Eddie had ever met, and also probably the cleverest. He seemed almost endlessly patient in a way Eddie couldn’t comprehend, and he had a way of making you feel comfortable no matter what. He was always there for support when you needed him, but he’d show you up or tease the fuck out of you just as fast.  
Stan was quiet, but not because he didn’t like talking, just because he wanted to be. He was observant though, and nothing ever got past him, which meant he could be your best ally or worst enemy, depending on the circumstances. He seemed cold when you first met him, all blank stares and biting wit, but Eddie knew he was really a big, soft, hilarious, idiot.  
Then there was Eddie’s childhood best friend, Bill. Bill was… well, he was the person Eddie looked up to most in the world, his best friend, practically his brother. Bill was driven and passionate and Eddie wished he had half the guts that he did. He couldn’t imagine his life without him.  
And finally, sat at the edge of the booth and grinning up at him, was Richie. The boy made of fire, so unpredictable and uncontrollable Eddie could name at least seven times off the top of his head he’d nearly gotten them both killed. But he cared so much about the people he loved, and he was the funniest person Eddie knew, though he’d never admit that to his face. He was cleverer than people thought, and softer than they realised. He had a perfect smile and stupid curly hair and awful taste in films and he always dressed like an idiot but somehow pulled it off.  
And Eddie was in love with him.  
“Afternoon, Eddie,” Bev said, smiling at him. He smiled back and took a seat next to Richie after the other boy had shuffled over.  
“Good afternoon, guys. Have you ordered yet?” he asked.  
“No, we were waiting for your late ass,” Mike quipped. Eddie glared at him but he couldn’t help but smile.  
“By the way, Eds,” Richie started. Eddie tried not to look at him.  
“Don’t call me that,” he interjected. He could practically feel Richie smirk.  
“Sorry for whatever I said on the phone to you last night, I have no recollection of calling anyone, but I checked my call list this morning. Stan told me I asked him if he wanted to fuck.” Stan uttered something about it being the most horrific experience of his life but Eddie barely heard it. His heart was beating so fast it was all he could hear, all he could feel was the bile rising up in his throat. He looked at Richie and his chest ached like it was being torn in two.  
“It’s cool. You said nothing particularly bad,” Eddie managed to choke out, almost sounding normal. It was good enough for Richie, but Stan was staring at him intensely and Bev had a peculiar smile on her face.  
They both looked like they knew something they shouldn’t.

***

Eddie wanted to forget about Richie and about that drunken phonecall, but every time he let his mind relax, it was like the floodgates collapsed and it was _all_ he could think about. Those stupid curls and his stupid laugh and his voice, the way it sounded on the phone that night… it made Eddie feel ill in a way he couldn’t explain.  
He threw himself into his college work, making up for the class he missed and starting work on an assignment that wasn’t due for nearly two months. He just needed to _do_ something, and Richie was out of the question, so something practical like work seemed to be the perfect antidote. He listened to 90’s pop and R n B and everything that was the total opposite of Richie’s taste in music, separating himself from his best friend in more ways than one. He filled his surroundings and himself with all things not-Richie, in the hopes it would make things easier.  
It didn’t work.  
However, he did successfully avoid seeing Richie for three whole days. He mainly just went to class and came straight back to his room, skipping going to the library with Ben and Mike because he knew that was Richie’s favourite place to go and antagonise anyone he could find. The old librarian that worked in there absolutely loathed Richie, she even tried to have him banned from setting foot in the place, but the university didn't listen to her. Eddie used to tell him off for making noise and switching the books around randomly so they were in the completely wrong sections, but he was biting back laughter the whole time.  
He put his pen down and sighed. He’d been sat at his desk for four hours now, trying to make sense of this journal article which he could swear was written in another language. His headphones were making his ears ache, and it’s only because he took them off that he heard the knock at the door.  
“I’ll get it,” his roommate said, and Eddie muttered his thanks, assuming it was one of the other boys friends.  
Hearing Stan’s voice drift over from the door was somewhat of a surprise.  
“Hey Mark, is Eddie here?” Mark nodded and stepped back to let Stan in.  
“Hey Stan, yeah he’s in.” Eddie panicked and he didn’t know why. He froze and tried to think of all the places he could hide within the next two seconds, before telling himself off for being so stupid. It was only Stan after all, but despite his own reassurances, something told him there was a reason he was knocking on Eddie’s door today.  
“Hey,” Eddie said, smiling up at him from his seat. Stan smiled back, peering over to see what he was working on.  
“Do you wanna grab a coffee?” he asked and Eddie nodded, trying to disguise the lump in his throat as he swallowed.

The coffee shop on campus was quieter than he had expected it to be, and after picking up their coffee, they took a seat at their usual table towards the back.  
For a little while, they just sat there, holding warm coffee in their hands and exchanging quiet, pleasant conversation. Eddie began to think maybe he was overthinking it, maybe Stan just noticed Eddie hadn’t been around for a few days and wanted to grab a coffee with him.  
“So, what are you gonna do about Richie?” Stan asked out of nowhere, nonchalant but knowing. Eddie choked on the coffee he’d just swallowed and when he glared over at Stan the other boy was smirking, one eyebrow slightly raised.  
Eddie should have known.  
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, trying to sound as casual as he could.  
“Oh come on, Eddie. You’ve been in love with him since before I met you, probably for years before I met you,” Stan replied. Eddie thought he might throw up into his own coffee cup.  
“I-I don’t, that’s not true,” he sputtered out, but Stan was looking at him with gentle eyes and Eddie just gave up and sighed.  
“You know the other night when he was drunk and he called a bunch of people?” he asked. Stan nodded.  
“I didn‘t need to be reminded, but yes.”  
“He told me he loved me. He told me he’s been in love with me for years. And fuck, whether I like it or not, I really think he meant it.” Stan looked about as shocked as Eddie had ever seen him.  
“Well fuck me,” he replied, “why don’t you just tell him?” Eddie shook his head.  
“He won’t remember and I just… it’s Richie. He isn’t good with anything regarding emotion, I know that better than anyone. I can’t open that can of worms for him, he has to do it himself.” Stan nodded sagely, and Eddie nearly laughed at how much he looked like a wise old wizard in some fantasy film.  
Well, he would have laughed, if Richie hadn’t appeared out of nowhere and sat down next to him.  
“Edmund! Staniel! On a date are we?” he asked, grinning. Eddie’s heart started to beat so fast at Richie’s presence, his proximity, and he felt like his blood was throbbing, his chest aching so much he could hardly breathe.  
He got a grip of himself when Richie folded his leg up and rested one foot on the seat, reaching over to grab Eddie’s coffee and take a sip.  
“Get your own damn coffee! And take your feet off the chair, you animal,” Eddie scolded, feeling his heart finally calm down at the normality of it. Richie grinned at him.  
“You sound like my mother, but kinder. I notice that you both ignored my question.” He wiggled his eyebrows and Eddie shook his head.  
How in the _hell_ was he in love with this idiot?  
“We’re not on a date, Richie, you’re just projecting,” Stan said dryly. Richie laughed.  
“God, I know,” he replied, nudging Eddie with his leg. Eddie looked over at him again and Richie was smiling back. Not grinning or smirking, but just smiling over at Eddie and he was pretty sure his heart stopped beating. He should definitely be dead right now.  
Once Richie was suitably distracted by whatever dumb thing he was talking about this time, Eddie looked over at Stan despairingly. His friend merely raised an eyebrow in response but Eddie shook his head.  
Richie had to open that can of worms himself.

***

The next day, Eddie woke up for his 9am class and dragged himself quietly through his morning routine, trying not to wake Mark up, and opened his door at exactly 8:35am, as he always did.  
The one thing that was different that morning, though, was Richie Tozier leaning against the wall opposite his door, holding two cups of coffee in his hands. He smiled at Eddie and held one of the drinks out to him, the smaller boy taking it without really thinking.  
His brain couldn’t work fast enough for him to process why Richie was bringing him coffee at eight thirty in the fucking morning, so he said the only thing he could think of.  
“I didn’t think you were physically capable of being up this early. Or not saying anything within two seconds of seeing someone.” Richie pushed himself off from the wall and Eddie slowly began to walk towards his class, Richie sinking into step beside him.  
“I’m full of surprises, Kaspbrak,” is all he said in reply. Eddie eyed him suspiciously but he found sincerity on Richie’s features and a warm feeling bubbled up from his stomach and into his chest.

The next couple of weeks were some of the weirdest, and best, of Eddie’s life.  
Richie would wait for him outside his room every morning, holding coffee for the both of them, a smile on his face. He would walk with Eddie to his morning class, even though Richie’s earliest class didn't start until 11am. He would go with Eddie to the library and actually do some work, still taking breaks to smoke or move some random equipment around, though. He also constantly whispered jokes into Eddie’s ear to try and make him laugh, and Eddie is ashamed to say he didn’t do a very good job of controlling himself.  
One time he took the mouse's of six random computers and hid them behind various books and Eddie couldn’t help but laugh at the confused and distraught look on the librarians face. They had to run out of the library they were laughing so hard.  
He sat on Eddie’s floor in _silence_ while Eddie tried to study, just playing him music and keeping him company. Eddie didn’t think Richie was capable of not being disruptive, and occasionally he noticed how uncomfortable Richie looked and how hard he was clearly trying to stay still and quiet and it made Eddie’s heart flutter.  
He played Eddie more music, and Eddie listened quietly, watching Richie’s face soften as the music calmed him. Nothing managed to make Richie soften and focus and break apart the way music did, and the fact that he was always so keen to share it with him made Eddie’s own heart soften in time to the beat.  
They would go and get food at the diner at 3am when Richie had kept a reluctant and annoyed Eddie up all night. They would sit there beneath the neon lights and talk about everything they could think of in the comforting shelter of nighttime.  
Well, almost everything.  
Eddie didn’t know for sure why Richie was doing all of this, why he was going with Eddie everywhere and actually listening when he told him to shut up, but it made Eddie feel a kind of warmth and comfort and joy he’s never felt in his life and he never wanted it to end.  
Despite that, the reality was that Richie was there, but he still wasn’t _Eddie’s_. It wasn’t real in the way Eddie wanted it to be, and every time he tried to convince himself that it was still enough, he heard Richie’s voice from that night. He heard him telling Eddie he loved him, and he knew he couldn’t settle for ‘enough’ anymore.

It was an average evening, they’d just gotten back from the library and Eddie had told Richie he needed to get an early night. The other boy had nodded and said he’d walk him back to his dorm and Eddie’s stomach flipped at how much that sounded like they’d just ended a date.  
He let the heat stew inside of him until they made it back his door, trying not to let it consume him. When they were stood in the hallway, Richie smiled over at him, and something exploded inside of Eddie, some kind of love and frustration and pain.  
“What are we doing, Richie? What are _you_ doing? Why have you practically been glued to my side for the last few weeks, coming to the library with me and sitting with me quietly while I study, bringing me damn coffee every morning? Why are you doing all this?” he asked. His voice wasn’t angry, it was desperate and confused and tinged with a hurt Eddie didn’t even know was there.  
Richie’s eyes had widened and his mouth fell open slightly. He looked like a deer in headlights and Eddie felt slightly guilty, but he pushed it aside; he needed answers, he needed the truth.  
Richie took an awfully long time to reply.  
“I- Eddie... I don’t know.” Eddie looked into his eyes and it was there, it glistened behind his thick lenses, the love Eddie had always longed to see. It didn’t comfort him the way it was supposed to, it just made him sad. Richie was so broken, he was so afraid, that despite them both knowing the truth, he still couldn’t just say it.  
“I can’t be around you until you do,” Eddie replied, opening his door, walking through, and not looking back at Richie as he shut it behind him.

***

When he woke up the next morning, it was raining for the first time in weeks and Eddie nearly laughed; the universe seemed to understand how he felt, too. He got ready with a tight feeling in his chest that he wished he didn’t have. He wished he wasn’t so _weak_ when it came to Richie, he wished something, somewhere, could have been different.  
If Richie didn’t want to be honest with Eddie, he didn’t have to. Screw him. Eddie shouldn’t waste his time pining over a boy that can’t even admit how he feels. He tried to remind himself of that, tried to convince himself he was angry and not hurt, but it didn’t work. The pain was too much, and he thought maybe his heart had begun to split into two.  
Mark hadn’t said anything about Eddie crying himself to sleep last night, but he was pretty sure he had heard him. He didn’t want to cry, but the darkness did peculiar things to people's inhibitions. So he had lay there, covers gripped tightly in his hands, and let the tears fall. He cried for himself, he cried for Richie, he cried for everything the two of them could have been.

When he opened his door in the morning light and Richie wasn’t standing on the other side of it, coffee in hand, his heart shattered inside his chest and exploded out to pierce the walls.  
He left it there, chest empty and aching, and walked to class.

***

Richie had been awol all day, but Eddie wasn't exactly surprised - running away was his speciality. He tried to ignore the storm raging inside him and act like he was okay, like everything was okay, but it was harder than he thought.  
He gave up at lunch and went back to his room, lying on his bed and listening to every song Richie had played him in the last few weeks. He was wallowing again, but he felt like he deserved it, he felt like he deserved to acknowledge the pain. He had been in love with Richie Tozier for years, and he’d never expected anything in return, until one drunken phone call changed everything. It gave Eddie hope, it made him look at his best friend in a different light, it made him long so strongly for his fantasy of their relationship to become true.  
It had brought them together, and the reality of who they were had ripped them apart.

He napped for some of the afternoon, all the crying bringing on a unique kind of exhaustion, so he was still awake when someone knocked softly on his door at 4am.  
He thought he’d misheard at first, but he took his headphones off anyway, glancing over at Mark to check he was still asleep. He thought he must have imagined it when the sound came again, a soft but insistent knocking at his door,  
His brow furrowed in frustration and he stood up, walking over to the door and fully preparing to whisper-yell at whoever the fuck was knocking on his door at 4am.  
But when he opened the door and Richie was stood on the other side, two coffee’s in his hands, a cigarette tucked behind his ear, and a gentle smile on his face, all his thought processes shut down.  
“Do you wanna go for a walk?” Richie asked, unsure and, unless Eddie was mistaken, scared. Eddie nodded.  
“I have to uh, I have to get my jacket.” He was only wearing sweatpants and a t shirt, but fashion wasn't exactly a priority right now, so he shoved on a jacket and his trainers and took the coffee in Richie's outstretched hand as he shut the door behind him.  
They walked in silence for a little while, Richie smoking and Eddie trying not to fidget, or open his mouth and voice everything he wanted to say.  
Richie had come to _him_ , he’d initiated a conversation (Eddie thinks), and he tried to will the bitter hope in chest not to take control. But this had to mean to something, it had to, and whatever it meant, whatever Richie had to say, Eddie just wanted to know.  
“I remember the phone call,” Richie said suddenly, stubbing out his cigarette, and that was the last thing Eddie had ever expected to hear.  
“I remember it all. I uh, I never forgot it to begin with. I just freaked out, I didn’t know what to do and I saw you in the diner and I, everything I ever thought we could have been was standing in front of me and I did what I always do. I ran, I deflected, I laughed it off. And I’m sorry, Eddie, I didn’t want to hurt you, I never want to hurt you. I needed to be close to you, as close as I could, and I thought that would be enough, I thought you would just know and that, well, I don’t know what I thought would happen, it was stupid. I was stupid.”  
For the first time in Eddie’s life, he wasn’t freaking out. His heartbeat was steady and his breathing was even. He looked over at Richie and saw the apprehension and hope in his eyes and his entire being relaxed. Everything was right, everything was going to be okay.  
He stopped walking and turned to look up at Richie.  
“It’s okay Rich, I get it. You’re an idiot, but I get it.” Richie laughed and the smile that took over his face as he looked down at Eddie was what it really took to make his heart start beating like crazy.  
“I just needed you to say it, Richie, I needed you to understand it for yourself, before I could do anything. And not while you’re drunk or high, but just you.” Richie nodded at him and the smile had left his face, but there was a glisten in his eyes that made Eddie’s stomach flutter.  
Richie reached over and took the coffee out of Eddie’s hand, placing both their cups on the bench near them before walking back over to Eddie.  
Before the shorter boy could process what was happening, Richie had one hand on Eddie’s waist, one in his hair, and he leaned down to press their lips together.  
It was a weird kiss, the height difference almost guaranteed that, but Richie’s lips were softer than Eddie had thought they would be, and his hand was gently playing with a strand of his hair. He could hear nothing but his heart beating and he slowly brought his own hands up to wrap around Richie’s neck, leaning into him, drowning in Richie and his warmth and the fire that had exploded in his chest at his touch.  
It was perfect.  
When Richie pulled back, he smiled down at Eddie and it made him feel like the entire world was made of stars, like everything that was wrong had been made right, like every sound played out in perfect harmony.  
“I love you, Edward Kaspbrak,” Richie said quietly, and that sound rang out clearest of all. He smiled back up at him.  
“Don’t call me Edward,” he began, causing Richie to laugh, “but I love you, too, Richard Tozier.” Eddie could have sworn Richie looked like he was gonna cry before he leaned down and connected their lips again. They pulled back and stared at each other for a couple of seconds before Richie retrieved their coffee cups, handed Eddie his, and linked their fingers together as they started walking again.  
“So, how long, pray tell, have you been in love with me?” Richie asked. Eddie poked him in the ribs with his elbow, but he replied truthfully.  
“Do you remember summer four years ago? That night when me, you and Bill camped out in the Barrens? Bill fell asleep earlier than we did, and we lay down on my mum’s old blankets and stared up at the stars for hours. Your voice was quiet and we talked about everything that came into our heads and you fell asleep lying next to me and when I looked over at you, I knew I was in love with you.” Eddie was avoiding Richie’s gaze, nerves running wild through his body like a riot.  
He turned his head to look at Richie when the other boy tugged on his hand. His eyes were soft and bright and so full of love and gratitude that Eddie couldn’t help but lean forward and kiss him again. Richie pushed his glasses up his nose once they pulled back, and they started walking again.  
“Fifth grade art class,” he said after a beat, “that’s when I knew I was in love with you.” Eddie’s lips parted gently.  
“Fifth grade?!” he asked incredulously, and Richie just smiled and nodded.  
“You were drawing something, I can’t remember what, but you were working on it so intensely. You got that little crease in your brow you get when you concentrate, and you were so enthralled you didn’t even notice all the charcoal on your hands and arms. You looked… I don’t know, and I didn’t know it then, but that's when I fell in love with you.” Eddie didn’t even know what to say, so he just looked over at Richie and squeezed his hand, his eyes saying more than his words ever could.

They walked like that, aimlessly, hands entwined, and speaking the truths they’d both hidden for so long, until the sun rose over the horizon and set their love-soaked silhouettes on fire.

 


End file.
